Chapter 2.3 Flashcards
EEG
electroencephalograph - a device for recording brain waves, typically by electrodes placed on the scalp
CT scanning
computerized tomography - a computerized imaging technique that uses X-rays passed through the brain at various angles and then combined into an image
PET scanning
positron emission tomography - an imaging technique that relies on the detection of radioactive sugar consumed by active brain cells
MRI
magnetic resonance imaging - an imaging technique that relies on cells responses in a high-intensity magnetic field
fMRI
functional magnetic resonance imaging - a new form of the MRI that records both brains structures and brain activity (combined form of the PET and MRI)
brain stem
the most primitive of the brain’s three major layers. It includes the medulla, the pons, and the reticular formation
medulla
a brain stem structure that controls breathing and heart rate.
pons
a brain stem structure that regulates brain activity during sleep and dreaming
reticular formation
a pencil-shaped structure forming the core of the brain stem. It arouses the cortex to keep the brain alert and attentive to new stimulation.
thalamus
the brains central “relay station,” situated just on top of the brain stem,
cerebellum
the little brain attached to the brain stem, responsible for coordinated movements
limbic system
the middle layer of the brain, involved in emotion and memory, includes the hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalmus, and other structures
hippocampus
a component of the limbic system, involved in establishing long term memories
amygdala
a limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion, particularly fear and aggression
hypothalmus
the limbic system’s blood testing laboratory, constantly monitoring the blood to determine the condition of the body
cerebral hemisphere
the large symmetrical halves of the brain located on top of the brain stem
corpus callosum
the band of nerves cells connecting and establishing communication between the two cerebral hemispheres
cerebral cortex
the thin gray matter covering the cerebral hemispheres, consisting of a 1/4 inch layer dense with cell bodies of neurons. It carries on the major portion of our “higher” mental processing, including thinking and perceiving.
frontal lobes
cortical regions at the front of the brain, especially involved in movement and thinking
motor cortex
a narrow vertical strip of cortex in the frontal lobes lying just in front of the central fissure; controls voluntary movement
mirror neuron
a recently discovered class of neuron that fires in response to (mirror) observation of another person’s actions or emotions
parietal lobes
cortical areas lying towards the back and top of the brain; involved in touch sensation and perceiving spatial relationships
somatosensory cortex
a strip of parietal lobe lying just behind the central fissure, involved with the sensation of touch
temporal lobes
cortical lobes that process sound, including speech, probably involved in storing long-term memories
occipital lobes
cortical regions at the back of the brain that house the visual cortex
visual cortex
visual processing areas of the cortex in the occipital and temporal lobes
association cortex
cortical regions throughout the brain that combine information from various other parts of the brain
cerebral dominance
the tendency of each brain hemisphere to exert control over different functions, such as language or perception of spatial relationships
